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LAS CRUCES - It's awfully quiet this week at the New Mexico National Guard Armory on the West Mesa.

But that's about to change. Soon after the holidays, activities will significantly increase at the armory with as many as 180 soldiers with the New Mexico National Guard's 200th Infantry Battalion, which is based in Las Cruces, taking care of final preparations for another round of deployment. They'll be going to Kosovo for a year where they will serve as part of the U.S. Army's peacekeeping force.

"It's safe to say that that a pretty good swag of it will be soldiers from Las Cruces," said Lt. Col. Jamison Herrera, New Mexico National Guard spokesman. "Right now, the soldiers are completing all pre-mobilization requirements and completing certification courses for the duties they'll have while on deployment."

Altogether, approximately 450 state Guard members will be deployed. Five units, including the 111th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, based in Rio Rancho; the 126th Military Police Co. from Albuquerque; the 200th Public Affairs Detachment from Santa Fe; the 717th Brigade Support Battalion in Roswell, and the 1-200th battalion have been notified they'll be deployed.

Service, sacrifice

Charlene Torrez, a Las Cruces sales clerk, said two of her cousins are among those who'll be going to Kosovo.

"It's been kind of

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unsettling the past two times they've been deployed," Torrez said. "It's definitely hard on the soldiers. A lot of them might not say that out loud, but my cousins have said in private that it was hard for them to go.

"It's hard on the families, too. Nobody knows for sure what could happen, what's going to happen. I know it's made us closer as a family the two times they went on deployments. You don't take the little things for granted as much as you do when you know they're here at home."

"We don't know exactly when that will be," Herrera said. "Even if we did, it's become practice not to publicly disclose that until final movement orders have been issued."

Chance to say farewell

In the coming weeks, the New Mexico National Guard will announce plans for "Yellow Ribbon" ceremonies at the five units where the public can wish the soldiers, and their families, well as they go on deployment.

"It should be a real big event in Las Cruces," Herrera said. "This is a statewide deployment. There will probably people from Silver City, Anthony, Truth or Consequences and other parts of the state going on deployment because so many units get volunteers from all over the state to join them. With the new governor (Susana Martinez) from Las Cruces, it's anticipated there could be a lot of people at the Yellow Ribbon ceremony there."

In recent years the New Mexico National Guard has deployed to Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq and Cuba and there are currently 82 Guardsmen deployed to the Southwest Border Mission.

"We've been expecting another round of deployments of our troops," said Maj. Gen. Kenny C. Montoya, commander of the New Mexico National Guard. "Our soldiers have remained dedicated to be the very best they can with the missions assigned to them, and we are ready - as we always have been - to serve our country wherever and whenever needed."

Herrera said the 450 or so soldiers to be sent to Kosovo is an increase of New Mexico National Guardsmen that have gone on deployment before. National Guard soldiers continue to be deployed to Kosovo, as peacekeeping forces through NATO.

NATO constitutes a system of collective defenses where its 28 participating countries agree to provide defense to a country in response to an attack by any external party or another country.

"This round of deployment involves much more soldiers than before," Herrera said. "In the past it was usually task forces and other smaller types of groups that were sent on deployment. Compared to those, this will be a large deployment."

Steve Ramirez can be reached at (575) 541-5452.

Preparing for deployment

•About 450 soldiers with the New Mexico National Guard will be deployed to Kosovo early next year.

•Five units, including the 200th Infantry Battalion in Las Cruces, will be going on deployment.

•Although dates have not been publicly announced, it's anticipated the soldiers will begin leaving in late January.

•The deployment will be for one year.

•The last time the battalion was on deployment was in 2009.